Opinions

Protests in Egypt project a sense of justice to rest of world

By Dillan Ducar ’13
THE ROUNDUP

The uprisings and riots in Egypt reached an all-time high recently calling in more people of all beliefs and ethnicities to do their part in the fight for justice.

Former president Hosni Mubarak was pressured into stepping down after 30 years of ruling with martial law.

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News

Observers split over importance of online social media in Egypt

By Eric Villanueva ’11
THE ROUNDUP

“The flames of the protests in Egypt are being covered and perhaps fanned by media old and new. Organizers found supporters and planned protests through Facebook, Twitter and text messaging, at least until Internet and cellular communications were shut down,” NPR’s All Things Considered reported Friday, Jan. 28.

While many news agencies label online social media as fanning recent unrest in the Middle East, other observers hold varying views on the importance of social networking sites in the organizing and planning of these mass demonstrations.

In Egypt’s case, online social media use has permeated the society, with more than 20 million Egyptian Internet and Facebook users, creating a new space for Egyptians to communicate, according to Professor Adel Iskandar, a media and communications lecturer at Georgetown University.

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